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Sawing Holly Logs

Started by Ga_Boy, December 26, 2004, 05:10:44 PM

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Ga_Boy

I've got two Holly logs for sawing, the butt log is 22" X 15' the other log is about 20" X 15'.

Both logs belong to a client, any suggestions on how to mill such as quarter saw or rift saw or flat saw?  I am not sure of the difference if there is any between rift and flat sawn.

This material will be used for furniture so it will be grade sawn.

I hope to have a mill come in this Wednesday.

Thanks for the help.





Mark
10 Acers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Tom

Mark,
Real specialty items, like Holly, should have the intimate input of the customer. Holly is used for inlays as well as furniture.  The requirements can be quite varied.

I flat saw most of my American Holly because the trees aren't big enough to quarter saw.  If I cut through and through, then the customer will get some flat, some rift and some vertical grain boards.  The figure in holly isn't very noticeable.  The aim is to try and keep the "white" wood as white as possible.  If you are careless or have bad luck with weather, it will turn gray.

I have cut boards that were 3 inches thick, at the customer's request.  That allows him to resaw 1 inch boards or take 3 inch boards from the side if he needs vertical grain.

Vertical Grain (produced by quarter sawing) is when the grain is 90 to 45 degrees to the wide surface of the board.  Flat sawn is usually from 45 to 0 degrees and parallels the wide surface.   Those boards that are not quite vertical or not quite flat, usually falling between the 30 and 60 degree mark, are considered Rift or Bastard sawed.  They are used mostly for turnings or legs.  A square, rift sawn leg will exhibit straight grain lines on all four sides but will not show much medullary ray


One means of getting vertical grained boards



WV_hillbilly

  Nice diagram and explanation Tom . I learned something . I didn't know there was such a cut called rift sawn . I thought it was either quarter or flat sawn  .
Hillbilly

Ga_Boy

Tom,

Thank you for the information.   Your suggestion to have input from the customer confirms my gut instinct.

For this particular customer I also recorverd some Black Walnut crotches.  For these I have asked that the customer be present to direct the sawyer (band mill) on how he wants the crothches cut.  I have made it a point to ask the customer to think about how he wants the Holly cut each time I call him.

I went to your web site; very nice and a lot of good information there for someone like me who is just starting out.



Mark
10 Acers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Tom


populus

Tom -
You said " If you are careless or have bad luck with weather, it will turn gray."  Can you help me understand this?  What careless things do we need to avoid in cutting holly?  What does the weather do?  I have not yet sawn any holly, but we will have some soon. It is such an expensive wood now that I don't want to screw up too much.
Thanks!

Tom

Don't let the logs sit unsealed.   Saw as soon as you can.  Don't leave the boards flat stacked.   clean the boards of all sawdust.  Don't leave the boards in the sun.  Dry quickly.  Fight any sign of mildew.  build your stack in a place with good air-flow.   Kiln if you can.  Store dried boards in a friendly environment inside.

These are common rules for any wood, but, expensive/valuable holly and the like deserve special attention.

populus


twoodward15

Are we talking about the holley tree that has the sharp leaves with red berries?  My BIL bought some land that is loaded with holy.  Some are millable size and he wants them gone!  How much is this stuff worth???  Is there a big market for it?
108 ARW   NKAWTG...N      Jersey Thunder

Tom

The market here is limited.  It is used for inlays, some cabinetry and accents on furniture.  It's the kind of thing that most carpenters/cabinet makers don't go shopping for, but,  get excited if they find some for sale.

You will probably have to create your own market.  If you are successful, you will, most likely, find that you are the only one with it and your customers will keep you a secret. :)

Ga_Boy

TWW,

This suff is not a tree but accutually a shrub.

The stuff I have belongs to a client that is a cabinet maker.



Mark
10 Acers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Tom

American Holly is definitely a tree down here, all be it usually a small one.  It grows in well drained swamps where there is no standing water but there is a lot of humus. Transplanted to Yards on higher ground it survives quite well but seems to grow slower.

Fla._Deadheader


  In Jersey, it's definitely a single trunk tree, but grows slowly. I have seen multiple trunks, but, that's uncommon. Grows well in semi-wet areas.

 I youster know of one that you could not reach around.  ;D

  

































All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Tom

QuoteI youster know of one that you could not reach around.  

I've got one of them that I can't reach around, Harold. ;D  

I can reach around all of the Holly's on the place though. :)

Fla._Deadheader

All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Tom

Don't be so shocked, Harold. You know her too. :D :D

Ga_Boy

I pulled out my tree ID guide and the American Holly is a tree.

I thought is was a shrub but I am worng.

Tom,

I ain't sure how to classify your Holly. ;D



Mark
10 Acers in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Fla._Deadheader


 I ain't shocked. I'm just waitin to see how long it takes for you to get clobbered.  ;) ;D ;D
All truth passes through three stages:
   First, it is ridiculed;
   Second, it is violently opposed; and
   Third, it is accepted as self-evident.

-- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Curlywoods

If any of you are cutting good white American Holly, please let me know!  I am always looking for good white Holly.  It is easily mishandled as Tom has stated.  It stains if you look at it cross-eyed it sometimes it seems :-)

  I am always looking for 1", 2" and sometimes a little 3", but it must be kiln dried.  It moves a great deal during drying if not properly addressed too (needs lots of weight on top of the stack!)  

All the best,

Michael Mastin
McKinney Hardwood Lumber
McKinney, TX

twoodward15

Thanks for the info.  I'll have to cut up the big ones.  Is it the same color throughout or is the sapwood what I am looking for or ???????  Anyone care to guess a value???  I should have quite a bit when all is said and done.  I don't think any are more than about 18 inched dbh.  lot's of them in the 12 inch range as I recall.  gonna go look at them tomorrow while I am down there.
108 ARW   NKAWTG...N      Jersey Thunder

Curlywoods

Todd,

  We pay $5.50 BF for really white 4/4 Holly and $6.00 for 8/4 that has been kiln dried in lengths of 6' or more.  Shorts(3' to 5') we have been paying $4.50 BF for 4/4 and $5.00 for 8/4 from one of our other sawyers.
  We generally purchase it in mixed loads of 200 BF of 4/4 and 200 8/4 as it is not been a big seller, but we have been moving more of it as people know that we have it available.  Like everything if the prices are reasonable we sell more of it.                                                
All the best,

Michael Mastin
McKinney Hardwood Lumber
McKinney, TX

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